Shakshuka is a simple and tasty way to bring life to a brunch party

This simple one-pan dish will always impress. Nothing beats the hearty combination of subtly spiced tomato sauce with creamy, perfectly cooked eggs.

This is an edited extract from Last Minute Brunch Party by Amelia Wasiliev (Hardie Grant), photography by Lisa Linder. Out March 18.

As someone who doesn’t like to eat immediately after waking up, brunch is my perfect mealtime. A combination of the best of breakfast and lunch, brunch encompasses sweet and savoury and can be enjoyed at any time of the day. Sharing foods over morning tea and coffee with friends is one of my favourite styles of entertaining. Unlike a formal dinner party, brunch has a casual nature. In my mind it creates a relaxed and social atmosphere, allowing guests and hosts to unwind, indulge and spend time connecting while enjoying a leisurely meal.

This simple one-pan dish will always impress. Nothing beats the hearty combination of subtly spiced tomato sauce with creamy, perfectly cooked eggs. It’s delicious topped with fresh herbs and served with crusty bread to soak up all the saucy goodness.

Try too my herby fig salad and my smoked trout salad.

Eggs to the rescue: this dish is easy and very, very tasty.

Author Amelia Wasiliev. Photography by Lisa Linder.

Shakshuka

Ingredients

• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 onion, finely diced
• 3 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 capsicum, diced
• 1 teaspoon ground cumin
• 1 teaspoon paprika
• ½ teaspoon dried oregano
• 1 x 425g can diced tomatoes
• ¼ teaspoon salt, or to taste
• 4 eggs
• Black pepper

For the garnish

• 40g feta, crumbled
• 1 handful flat-leaf parsley

Merthod

1. Heat the olive oil in a large frying pan with a lid over medium heat. Add the onion and cook for 5-6 minutes until translucent, then add the garlic and capsicum and cook until the capsicum is softened.
2. Stir in the spices and oregano and cook for 1 minute until fragrant. Add the diced tomatoes, then add the salt and pepper to taste. Let the mixture simmer for 10-15 minutes until it thickens. The sauce needs to be thick enough to support the eggs as they cook.
3. Using a spoon, create 4 small wells evenly spaced in the tomato mixture (if the wells don’t hold their shape you may need to simmer the sauce a little longer to let it thicken).
4. Carefully crack an egg into each well, trying to keep the egg contained in the well. Cover the skillet with a lid and let the eggs cook to your desired doneness, about 5 minutes for runny yolks.
5. Garnish with the crumbled feta and parsley, and serve straight from the pan.
6. Serves 4